Explosion-engine-driven vehicle.



H. P. HALL. EXPLOSIOE ENGINE DRIVEN VEHICLE.

APPLIGATIOY FILED APIL'I. 1909. a 1,004, 164. Patgnted Sept. 26, 19 11.

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H. P. HALL.

EXPLOSION ENGINE DRIVEN VEHIGLE.

APPLICATION IILBD APR-.7. 1909.

Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

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auyenl'oz i uc' 4 i M GM 1 I a i witnesses H. P. HALL. EXPLOSION ENGINE DRIVEN VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7. 1909.

Patented Sept 26, I911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

H. P. HALL. EXPLOSION ENGINE DRIVEN VEHIGLE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 7. 1909.

1,004,164. Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

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. mount an explosive engine directly upon the v, mounted upon. the car-body, and various flexible driving connections have been pro H-IRAM P. HALL, OF NEW YORK, N

EXPLOSION-ENGINE JJRIVEN VEHICLE.

Specification of letters Patent. Pall!!! lIQil Sept. 26, 1911.

Application filed April 7, i909. Serial No. 488.345.

T 0 all whom it may conccm:'

Be it known that I, llumir I. HALL, a. citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Ii'nprovcmonts in Explosion-Engine- Driven Vehicles, of which the following is a. full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to self-propelled vehicles, and more particularly has reference to vehicles driven by an explosive engine together with speed regulating and controlling means, whereby the entire driving mechanism including the engine and speed transmission will he mounted directly u on the truck, thereby leaving the car-body rec and unobstructed,

lVhilc it has been proposed to drive vehicles by means of gas engines, in so far as I am aware, the propelling engine has been vided bet-ween the engine and the truck, capable of permitting the necessary relative movement in order to go around curves. Such systems have also had the disadvanrage of requiring at considerable proportion of available space in the car-body for the engine com mrlment.

According to this invention I propose to truck in combination with speed regulating and controlling means located between the engine and the wheels, and capable of being controlled'by the driver from the car-body. In such an arrangement it would be impracticable to employ systems of levers for securing the venous speed and. direction changes on account of t ieir complexity, forthermore the use of sliding gear transmissions is objectionable because the strain and shock incident to starting, reversing and varying the speed of a heavy vehicle would be likely to break the gears or other parts. Furthern'iore, it is desirable that the motions required to cli'cct the ordinary starting, stopping and reversing of the vehicle be simple, and that the operator he required to pay attention to as few controlling devices as is absolutely necessary. In carrying out this feature of the invention I have provided a system of fluid pressure speed control whereby the speed and direction of the car can be determined by a single lever, analogous to the controller of an electric car, and the braking effected by another lever. Thus rendering the control as simple as an electric car and also enabling the speed changes to be efiected without shock or excessive strain on the mechanism.

In carrying out the invention I mount the variable speed transmission at the lower portion of the truck between the wheels and suitably inclosed in a protecting casing, while the driving engine is mounted upon the variable speed compartment and separately inclosed, the intervening space being utilized to 'carry a body bolster which supports the cur-body thereby requirin a. mini mum amount of space. The speed c ianging mechanism herein described comprises a planetarytransmission having three speeds in each direction controlled by friction devices throu h fluid pressure connections lcadin to t .2 controller, which latter consists o a simple valve.

The invention will be more fully understood in connection with the description of the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure, 1, is a view partly in side elevation, and partly in longitu inal section, of a car, a. portion of winch is broken away.- Fig. 2, is a partial section on the line 22 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3, is a transverse section on the line 3 30f Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4, is c section on the line 44 of Fig. 2, lookin mole an,

rection of the arrows." Fig. 5, s a top plan.

view of the apparatus shown in Figs. .3, 3 and 4, showing the relations of the car sills t0 the truck, engine and gearin Fig. 6,.is a vertical section of a control er for compressed air, as will be hereinafter referred an in drawin s I) g a 3, 4, 5, 6, are wheels on axles 15, 1.6, 'and rolling upon rails 7 and 8.

The truck 2 comprises longitudinal side frames 9 anddO, rigidly connected by truck end sills 11 and 12. Between the axles 15 and 16 is carried the transmission gearing ,within a casing 13. From this gear casing.

extend the arms 17, 18, 19 and 20 which are secured to the side frames 9 and 10. Be- -tween the arms 17 and 18, on the one hand,

- iii and the arms 19 and 20; on the other, extend bars 21 and 22 which strengthen the truck,

and also serve to limit the sidewise rocking of the car-body without interfering withthe turning of the truck. lVithin the frames 9 and 10 are formed pedestals in which slide hearing-boxes as 23 and '24, springs 25 and 26 being interposed between the ends of the guide-ways and the bearing-boxes. This permits the frame of the truck to have slight movement with relation to the truck axles for the well. known purpose. The gear casing 13 is splithorizontally at 28, so as to per- 1 init the opening of the casing to insert the apparatus to be contained therein, and also to permit the insertion of the various shafts .j

in their respective bearings.

of which is inclosed within crank case 31.

32 is the crank shaft carrying'cranks 33,

with which the piston-rods 34 of the cylin l ders are connected in a well known manner.

l pon the ends of the crank shaft are located lly-wheels 35 and 36. The crank shaft 32 carries a gear 39 meshing with gear 40 u on a. cam shaft 41, having cams 42 adaptet to contact with the lower ends of the valve operating and ignition rods 43. The ex- At each end of l the gear casing are raised portions, or offsets, 29 and 30. Upon these off-sets is mounted an explosive engine 37 the lower portion l l l plosive engine may be operated in any of the well snown ways, and be constructed in any suitable manner as is well understood,

' 49 which its into the concavity in the top of 1 the gen r casing which is adapted to receive this prol uherance.

Also in the concavity in l the. top of the gear casing is provided a projerlion fiO surrounding the pin 48 and on tering into a circular cavity in the hemispheri al portion 49. It will now be apparrntftlmt the truck frame and wheels can turn with relation to the bolster 15. and also the rarhody can have a slight rock-lug or lateral. movement. 'lhc engine and ll'nl1.-;- mission gearing, however, are rnlirc-lv mounted upon the truck, and maintain their proper relation notwilhslnnding the movements of the car-hotly.

The manner of establishing driving runnerlions between the crank shall of the en glue and the wheels of the truck will now he onsidered. .\pur gear 5! is keyed to the email; shal't iii. and meshes with a similar. but, larger. gear 59. \Allllll is ionrnalI-d in the 1 wall of the gear casing by means of a pin 53.

This gear 52 extends from the interior of the gear casing through an opening 54 in the offset 29 of that casing. The gear 52 in turn meshes with a gear which is fixed upon a shaft .36 join-nailed in the gear casing 13. Also fixed to the shaft 56 is a gear 57 nieshing with gears as 5.8 and 59 which turn respectively with the shafts (i0 and (31, carried in a supportlil which is rotatable about the shaft 56. Upon the opposite sides of the support 62 from the gears 58 and 5%) gears 63 and 64 are fixed upon the shafts (it) and 61 respectively. The last mentioiwd gears mesh with a spur gear 65 which is fixed to a bevel gear (56. It will be seen that gear 57 is of such length that the support 62, together with the gear 66, can be moved longitudinally without disengaging the gears as 38 and 59 from the gear 57. About.

1 the support or drum 62 extends a band 67,

having its ends adapted to be drawn to gether so as to clutch and hold the drum 62, or which may be loosened so as to ermit. the drum to rotate. When the drum 15 held against rotation it will be apparent that the turning of gear 57 will result in the turning of gears 58 and 59, the shafts to which they are fixed, the gears 63 and 64, and the bevel gear 66. If, however, the support 62 is not held against rotation the drum, its shafts and the gears which are carried thereby will rotate about the shaft 56, and no power will be transmitted through. this gearing.

The support 2 and the bevel gear 66 are mounted upon one end of the sleeve 67' which is slidahle longitudinally of the shaft 56. The other end of the sleeve 67 has rotatably mounted upon it a bevel car 68 which is fixed to a support or p ate 69 which is rotatable about the shaft 56 within the drum 70. An internal gear 71 is out upon the inner Face of the drum and with (his internal gear mesh planet wheels 72 which are rotatably mounted upon shafts Til. the said shafts being at one end mounted in the plate 31!. and at the other end in a;

plate 74, forming a part of a drum 75 which is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 56. The gears 72 also mesh with a spur ear 76 which is fixed upon the shaft 50, audit will be noted that the gears 72 are of such length with relation to the gear 76 that the gears 72 and their connected apparatus may he slid along the shaft 56 Will! the sleeve 67. \Vithin the drum 75 (which forms the external. member of an internal expansion clutch) and secured upon the plate 74, so as to he radially slidahlo thereon, are clutch segments 77. 'lhe wedge portion 78 secured to a sliding roller 75) serves to push these segments outwardly to engage the drum 75, or outer c utch member, when the wedge 78 is moved in the left. as shown in Fig. 3. hilo when this wedge is moved to the right lilo in Fig. 2 springs withdraw the clutching Seg ments so as to disengage the clutch in a well known manner. A band 79' surrouriding, the drum is adapted to be tightened u! loosened thereon so as to permit. nuivemrnt, or to stop the drum T0.

The bevel gear [36 is shown as being in engagement with the bevel gear 80, the

sleeve (37 being shown as in its right hand position. \Vhen the last. mentioned sleeve 15 drawn to the left hand position. the bevel gear 68 will engage with the bevel gear so.

The sleeve 67' may be thrown in one til-- rection or the other by means of a rod til adapted to turn on its axis in the eyes 82 and 83 secured to the gear casing. Fixed to the rod 81. is an arm 84 extending at right. angles thereto, the said arin' being bifurcated as shown, and having its ends pivoted at. 85 and 86 to a collar 87 placed in a groove in the sleeve 67.

The bevel gear 80 is fixed to a shaft 88 which is journaled in the gear casing. To the other end of the shaft 88 is fixed a spur gear 89 which, through the media of spur gears 90 and 91, drives the gears 92' and 93 which are respectively fixed to the axles of the truck so that these axles and the wheels thereon are driven by the engine in one di' rection or the other, according to the eng ement of gears 80 and 66 or 68.

n the position of the gearing shown it has been before described how the band 67 may be operated to control the driving of the wheels of the truck. This is the re verse position of the apparatus, that is the position which will be employed in running the car backward. lVhen it is desired to run the car forward the rod 81 is turned upon its axis by a handle or other suitable means, and the sleeve 67 is slid along the shaft 56 until the bevel gear 68 comes into mesh with the bevel gear 80. This, of course, involves the throwing of the gear 66 away from the gear 80 as both the bevel gears it; and 68 are mounted upon the sleeve 67. The shaft, fill will now drive the gears 72 through the gear 76 but, the band 79' being released and the expansionclntch being diseuaged, no power will be transmitted to t e bevel gear 801 If now the band 79 be tightened until the drum 70 is stopped the planetary gears 72 will travel about the now fixed internal gear upon the inner face of the drum 70 and the bevel ear 80 he turned and the truck wheels will e driven in a forward direction at a certain s eed. If now a higher speed be desired, t e band 79 may be loosened and the expansion clutch engaged. The drum will then be driven at the same number of revolotions as the shaft 56, and through the shafts 73 the plate (39 will be carried along at the same number of revolutions as the drum 75. With this plate 69 will be carried the bevel gear 68 which will in turn impart. the increased speed to the bevel gear and the llltt'lt wheels.

in lli' lil to secure Hlnoutlioperation of the clutching di ices they are =--;.-nu-.-l by elasiiv llllill uch as nilll'ilijwiltl 'l o this end r; provided the air cylinder i' sail its connected mechanism for operating rho expan- Mimi clutch. This cylinder i mounted upon the gear asing and contains the piston 91, the piston-rod 9:3 of win ran'ies an arm 3 which engages in a groove in the collar 7 L so that the clut h will be engaged or dis engaged according to \vhe1her or not conr pres-sod air is supplied to the cylinder 90. tiinilar r linders 94- and 57.3 are provided for open. the clutch bands UT and 79. description of the apparatus and operation of one of these clutch bands will apply [0 each. Referring particularly to Fig. 3, the clutch band 79 has one end 97 held stationary, while its other end is movable and is connected to the piston-rod 99 of the piston 100 within the cylinder 95. It will be apparent that as compressed air is admitted behind the piston 10 through the pipe 182, that the piston will be driven to force the end 98 of the clutrh band toward the and 59?, and thus tighten the band upon he drum. ln imila! manner the admission ot' couipresed air through the pipe 105 will operate to tighten the hand in. To re lease either of the hands, 0-!" the expansion clutch, as the (use may he, the space behind the operating piston which contains compressed air may be connected with the atmosphere and the pressure thus removed from the cylinder. Under such conditions the clutch band will naturally tend to release, but if desired springs may be provided to loosen them. Also the expansion clutch being under the condition of no pres sure as stated, will be disengaged by the springs which are usually employed in such clutches. An additional spring for moving the piston, or other mechanism for aiding r accelerating the disengagement of the clutch may be employed if desired.

To control the supply of air for operating the expansion clutch, or the clutch bands, a controller may be provided as shown in Figs. (5 and 7. This controller comprises an outer casing 100 within which a plug or valve 101 is rotatably and tightly fitted. The valve ineloses a chamber 102' having an opening 103 through which compressed air may be supp] ied to the interior of the valve .frmftii suitable source of supply. The valve may be turned by a handle 104. The casing is supplied with openings 105', 106 and 107 through which air may be supplied to or exhausted from the different clutch operating cylinders. In the vall of the valve is a port 108 adapted to register successively with the openings 10?, .106 and 107. The

' wheels.

valve also has a vertical slot 109 in communication with the atmosphere, and extendin circumferentially, with the bottom of whic communicates another circumferential slot 110 adapted to register with the openings 105, 106 and 107, it being of such circumferential extent that when one of the openings 105', 106 or 107 is in registry with the port 108, the other two are in com|nunication with the atmosphere through the slots 109 and 110 and also when the valve is in off position, all the openings 105, 106 and 107 are in communication with the atmosphere. It being assumed that the bevel ears 66 and are in engagement as 'shown in Fig. 2, they are in position for moving the car backward. It also being assumed, however, that the handle is in the oil' position as shown by the dotted lines of Fig. 7, no power will be transmitted to the truck If now the handle be thrown to the left until the port 108 is in registry with the opening 107, compressed air will be so plied to the cylinder 94, the band will be tightened upon the drum (l2 and power will be transmitted to the wheels to drive the car backward at a speed determined by the. contrailer as before described. The car can be stopped by moving the handle to the 05 osition, when the band will be released.

hould it now be desired to run the car in a forward direction, the bevel gear 08 would be thrown into mesh with the bevel gear 80 from a separate controller. The handle 101 would then be turned to the right until the openings 108 and 105 were in registry when the band 79' would be tightened and a low forward speed obtained. By turning the handle still farther to the right until the openings 108- and 10 5 were in registry, the expansion clutch would be thrown into en-v ga ement and a higher speed obtained.

0 utilize the heat of the engine as hereinbeforc referred to, a heater 111 is placed in' the compartment of the car to be occupied. by passengers. The jacket water of the engme may be supplied to this heater through a pipe 112 controlled by a valve 113. n order that the jacket water may be cooled independently of the heater, a pipe 114 is rovided which is controlled by a valve 115.

y this pipe 114 the water may be directed to a radiator outside the compartment referred to. lly (losing one of the valves '113 and 115 and opening the other, the heated water may be directed through the heater or not as desired. If desired the heated exhaust gases might be used for heating in a similar manner.

it will he understood that suitable rooling means in the engine and a fuel supply will he provided, and also a source of air pressure which may, be the air brake tank. \Vhere piping is required between parts mounted on the car-body and parts on the truck flexible joints will be provided so as to permit the slight relative movement of the truck and the car-body. It will also be seen that the engine cylinders may beinclosed in a separate casing carried by the truck if desired, and by reason of the low position of the engine, space immediately above in the car-body will be available for other uses, and also the motorman can have free access to the engine while thee-.11 is running, should he so desire. Also suitable provision for lubrirati-m will be made.

It will therefore be seen from the I'oregw ing descri ition that I have provided a motor truck having a gasolcne rngine.monnted directly thereon and also a variable s iced and reverse transmission gear, controlled by fluid pressure winnections from the carbody. By the use of lluid pressure connec tions it will he Stt'll that ample holding power will be provided for the planetary clutches and the cone (lull-h, and also ample' power for shifting the reverse gear which, of course, will be used relatively infrequently as compared with the two forward speeds. By the use of the variable speed friction gearing herein described the speed changes may be eil'erted without shock and jar 01' straining the mechanism.

'While the invention has been illustrated in'what is considered its best app lcation it may be embodied in other structures and is not therefore limited to the st aeture shown in the drawings.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a car truck of a gear casing thereon, an engine carried bysaid truck, said engine bcing mounted above said gear casin and a body bolster between said engine an gear casing. 1

2. The combination with a car trnclooia variable speed transmission gear thereon, an engine carried by said truck, said engine being mounted above said transmission, and a body bolster pivoted to said truck and passing between said transmission and said engine.

3. The combination with a wheeled truck, of an explosion engine mounted thereon abovethe axles, a variable speed transmission between said engine and said axle, and means passing between said engine and said transmission ,and pivoted on said truck frame for sup orting a car-body.

4. The com nnation with a wheeled truck,

of an explosion engine mounted thereon above the axles, a variable speed planetar transmission between the engine s aft an bot-h wheel axles, and a pivoted truck'boL ster passing beneath said engine and above said transmission for'supportin a car-bod 5. The combination with a wheeled true of an explosion engine mounted thereon above the axles, a variable speed )lanetary transmission between the engine s haft and both wheel axles, a pivoted truck holsmr casinfi inclosing said transmission and pnssmg heneaih smd nuglnv 12 1!? nbow saw! y carried the truck frame, and a body boltransn'sissjcn Tm suppmrting 1: Orr-i, Jdjz and itrr pivvtcd 0n the truck. frame between the means for actamtmg sari hzsmrmssmn from engine casing and 1.he transnusslon gear cas- 15 the .ur-body. mg.

\ F E The cumbirmtiun with a wheeled truck t In testimun' whereof I affix my signature, comprising separated axleband a frame, of i in presence 0' two witnesses. an exploslon engine mounted ihereon, n; HIRAM P. HALL. closed crank shaft uasingcarricd by said i truck frame, a variable speed transmission k gearbctweunsnid crankshaft and said axles, I

Witnesses:

J. H. WOOBTER, GEO. N. KERR. 

